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News Room: Public Safety

August 2012

Today, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 1310, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no texting laws for motorists. The vote was 28-9. The bill now heads to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for approval. read more ...

A bill to protect the rights of drivers by regulating red-light cameras passed today in the State Senate and is now headed to the Governor for approval. The vote was 34-0. Senate Bill 1303, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
read more ...

May 2012

A bill to protect the rights of drivers by regulating red-light cameras passed unanimously today in the State Senate. The vote was 37-0. Senate Bill 1303, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets. read more ...

Today, the California State Senate passed Senate Bill 1310, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no texting laws for motorists. The vote was 24-9.
read more ...

March 2012

Death and injuries from traffic accidents have plummeted in California, a trend tied to the 2008 law that bans gabbing on handheld cellphones while driving. Memo to all those drivers still yakking away: Wake up. Distracted driving can kill.

The number of deaths caused by driving while chattering on handheld cellphones dropped by half in the two years after the law took effect compared with the two years before, according to a study released by the state Office of Traffic Safety. That dramatic improvement should persuade 41 other states to enact similar laws. The rest already have.

State Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, take a bow. He pushed the bill until his reluctant colleagues agreed to pass it. Credit also goes to the California Highway Patrol and local police throughout the state for aggressively enforcing the ban. They seem to have wholeheartedly embraced it, probably because they have to deal with the heartbreak of fatal accidents.

According to a study announced Monday by the state Office of Traffic Safety, since a state law forbidding the use of handheld phones on the road went into effect in 2008, the number of traffic deaths in California declined by 22 percent. With fewer drivers yakking into handheld phones, the death-by-cellphone rate dropped an even more stunning 47 percent.

“Those are huge numbers,” said Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, author of the bill whose outcome the study tracked, while taking a (hands-free) victory lap after the announcement.
During a two-year period after the law was implemented, there were 53 deaths caused by drivers holding cellphones, compared with 100 in the two years before the law took effect. This came as total accidents and fatalities were down overall for reasons as varied as more cars having air bags.

“The drop in collisions was the biggest, single, year-to-year drop in the history of the state since the CHP began keeping the data,” Simitian said.

October 2011

Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 29, legislation that would have protected the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras.” The measure’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), called the veto “a lost opportunity to help restore public trust in the purpose and operation of red-light cameras by bringing accountability and fairness to the process.” read more ...

But, we’re sorry the governor vetoed a bill that would have toughened the hands-free, no-texting laws for drivers.

As we see on the roads, compliance with our current law is low — the bill’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian, hoped to raise deterrence by raising the base fine from $20 to $50, the same fine as rolling through a stop sign.

Governor Brown said “no.”

So we ask him - if you won’t raise fines, Governor, how will you get drivers to put away their cell phones?

Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 28, which would have strengthened California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The measure’s author, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), called the veto “a lost opportunity to save more lives.” Simitian said he would, “review the Governor’s veto message to see if there is any room for compromise in the coming year.” read more ...

Although many Californians ignore laws against using hand-held cellphones and sending text messages while driving, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday rejected a proposal that would have taken a bigger bite from the wallets of violators.

Repeat offenders could have ended up paying more than $500 when court fees and penalties are added in, under legislation sponsored by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto).

Simitian proposed that the base fine for the first offense increase from $20 to $50 because of concern that not enough motorists are complying with the 3-year-old hands-free requirement for cellphone uses.

August 2011

The California State Legislature has approved Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which prohibits the sale of over the counter cold and cough medicines containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors.
read more ...

To all those drivers who continue to yak on a handheld cellphone or text while behind the wheel—and there are many of you—pay attention. Fines are very likely to go up.

The California Legislature on Monday passed a bill that would raise the current fine plus penalties to $309 from $189. The bill now goes before Gov. Jerry Brown. A spokesman said Brown had no immediate comment on the bill, but supporters believe he will sign it into law.

Senate Bill 28, authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, also would make a second offense a moving violation that would go on a driver’s record. That would potentially add up to $100 a year or more to violators’ insurance premiums unless they went to traffic school.

Today, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 28, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The bill heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration.
read more ...

May 2011

The State Senate voted today 37 to 0 to approve Senate Bill 514, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which prohibits the sale of over the counter cough medicine containing dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. read more ...

The story of a Sonoma State University freshman who allegedly ran over a toddler while texting on a cell phone is tragic. The toddler, 2-year-old Calli Murray, had just begun what her bereaved parents described as a bright and happy life.

Meanwhile, the life of Kaitlyn Dunaway - the 18-year-old who has been charged with vehicular manslaughter - will never be the same.

The case underscores the fact that texting is one of the worst forms of distracted driving. The California Office of Traffic Safety places it alongside drunken driving as one of the leading causes of crashes that result in fatalities or serious injuries. It’s time for it to be punished accordingly.

“The question is, are people going to understand the seriousness of this behavior?” said state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto. Simitian has authored a bill, SB28, that’s passed the Senate and is awaiting votes in the Assembly. It would raise the base ticket fine for texting while driving from $20 to $50. Repeat offenders would have to pay $100 as a base fine and suffer a point on their licenses.

Legislation that protects the rights of drivers by regulating “red-light cameras” passed today on a bi-partisan unanimous vote of 36-0 in the State Senate. Senate Bill 29, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would establish statewide standards for the installation and operation of traffic enforcement cameras, and make it easier to challenge unjustified tickets.
read more ...

April 2011

A bill that would increase the cost of using a handheld cellphone or texting while driving to about $309 passed the state Senate on Monday and is headed to the Assembly.

“Good, good,” motorist Anna Fields of Sunnyvale said. “Anything to make these drivers on their phones understand the risks they are taking and the danger they pose to me and everyone else is badly needed.”

SB 28 by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, passed by a 24-12 vote. It would make a second offense a moving violation and raise the base fine from $20 to $50 per violation. With various fees, a first offense would cost $309, up from the current $208. A repeat offender could be fined $100, or $528 with fees.

Today, the State Senate passed Senate Bill 28, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), which would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. The bill passed by a vote of 24-12 and now moves to the State Assembly for consideration.
read more ...

January 2011

A New York Times story discusses efforts to restrict the use of cell phones, iPods and other electronic devices, not only while driving, but while jogging or walking.
“The ubiquity of interactive devices has propelled the science of distraction — and now efforts to legislate against it — out of the car and into the exercise routine,” the Times reports.

“In California, State Senator Joe Simitian, who led a successful fight to ban motorists from sending text messages and using hand-held phones, has reintroduced a bill that failed last year to fine bicyclists $20 for similar multitasking.”

In other states, legislators have introduced bills to restrict pedestrians and joggers from using cell phones or iPods. Simitian is not proposing similar legislation.

In the Times story, Simitian says “At some point you do have to simply rely on the good judgment of folks as they go through their daily lives.”

“Is there a problem out there with distracted pedestrians? I’d be the first to acknowledge it,” he said. But, he added, “It’s appropriate to distinguish between 4,000 pounds of steel and glass coming at you and a pedestrian who may well put themselves at risk but probably poses less of a risk to the general public.”

June 2010

More rigorous rules for installing red-light cameras at Inland-area intersections could be on the way, as a state senator combats what he feels is lax oversight of the operations and the reality that some cities are more interested in the revenue than road safety. But supporters of the status quo say the new rules will put the brakes on the cameras altogether by making them cost prohibitive.

As cameras go up around the state, officials would face more scrutiny and stricter standards when they propose them. . . . Frustration over the fines and the cameras are what led Sen. Joe Simitian, D- Palo Alto, to propose a bill expanding the requirements for police and cities interested in the cameras.

Today the California State Senate passed State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) Senate Bill 1475 by a vote of 21-16. The bill would strengthen California’s hands-free and no-texting laws for motorists. SB 1475 now moves to the State Assembly for consideration.
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Fatal accidents involving cell use while driving have taken their toll in California, and state legislators have reacted by adopting three laws restricting using cells while operating vehicles. But state Sen. Joe Simitian, author of those laws, says too many motorists are still fumbling with cell phones and pecking at tiny keyboards. Simitian has a bill that would increase first-time base fines from $20 to $50 for breaking existing cell laws and from $50 to $100 for subsequent offenses.

April 2010

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California has named State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) as the recipient of its 2010 Crime Fighter Award. Simitian was singled out for his legislation to benefit youth and public safety. read more ...

If you watch Oprah with any regularity, you know she is on a crusade to get people to stop texting and talking on the phone while driving. In California, the cell phone law may be about to get a lot tougher.

Refusing to use a hands-free device could get more expensive. A Senate committee agreed to make violators pay more. [...]

“The notion here is a somewhat more significant fine, we’d have a greater deterrent and save more lives. It’s really just that simple,” says Simitian.

The California Highway Patrol says traffic collisions and fatalities dropped 20 percent from the previous five-year average before California’s hands-free law took effect, but that point on a driving record worries commercial truckers, who could lose their jobs.

... A bill working its way through Sacramento could sharply increase the penalties for driving while using a handheld cellphone, fines that some say are already deceptively higher than had been expected.

The ban was instituted in July 2008, and six months later, texting while driving was similarly prohibited. Only hands-free talking is now allowed.

Senator Joe Simitian, Democrat of Palo Alto, wrote both bills, which include modest fines of $20 for a first offense and $50 for the second. ...

March 2010

State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) has announced three winners of this year’s “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. Since 2001, Simitian has invited Californians to submit suggestions for new legislation. To date, fifteen winning ideas have been signed into law. This year, his office received 426 proposals from residents throughout his district and across the state. read more ...

If you’re driving, you’re better off not chatting on the phone. If you must talk, use a hands-free device—it’s the law.

And please, no texting while you drive—it’s a no-brainer.

To that end, we’re thankful for the actions of state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who has introduced a bill to raise the fines for drivers caught talking without a hands-free device, and texting. [...]

Drivers who love to text or chat on a cell phone, you might want to reconsider your illegal ways.

The cost of a ticket for these offenses could go way up — to $455 for texting and $255 and up, from about $145 — for not using a hands-free device if a bill introduced Monday by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, becomes law. [...]

“I’ve heard repeatedly that the current fines are too modest,” said Simitian, who has led the charge for tougher laws on these forms of distracted driving for nearly a decade. “They wouldn’t be anymore.”

Recently released collision and fatality data from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirms that California’s streets and highways are safer following the implementation of California’s “hands-free” cell phone law. read more ...

California recorded a 20 percent drop in the number of collisions since the state in 2008 passed a law banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, but the effects of the ban on texting while driving have been less clear, in part because it is much harder to enforce, lawmakers said. read more ...

November 2009

The hearing will be held in collaboration with the Senate Select Committee on Bay Area Transportation, Chaired by Senator Mark Leno, (D-San Francisco) and the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee’s sub-committee on Caltrans’ budget, headed by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). read more ...

Sacramento – As the first major storm of the season hits much of California today, State Senator Joe Simitian (D – Palo Alto) joined law enforcement officials in reminding drivers about the importance of keeping “Wipers On, Lights On.” read more ...

Sacramento – Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 486, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). The new law – suggested by a constituent in Simitian’s annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest – will help an estimated one million Californians safely dispose of their “sharps” (a type of medical waste that includes syringes and needles). read more ...

September 2009

State Sen. Joe Simitian -- the lawmaker responsible for California's "hands-free" cell phone law -- is one of about 200 people participating in a summit on distracted driving today (Sept. 30) in Washington, D.C. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will be participating in U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s Distracted Driving Summit this week in Washington, D.C. The Department of Transportation has invited 200 participants from around the country to determine the best ways to reduce the number of crashes and deaths due to distracted driving. read more ...

Shortly, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have the opportunity to sign Senate Bill 486 into law. The bill, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), gives pharmaceutical manufacturers the opportunity to develop plans for the safe disposal of sharps waste. read more ...

State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that his bill, SB 486, to facilitate the safe disposal of “sharps” (a type of medical waste that includes syringes and needles) passed its final hurdle in the Legislature. read more ...

August 2009

As dysfunctional and politically petty as Sacramento is, it's hard to imagine an average citizen having any influence on state law. But that's what happened with a Northern California tow truck driver a while back. read more ...

State Sen. Joe Simitian says he remembers exactly where he was when he learned that a 24-year California Highway Patrol officer was struck by a vehicle and killed along Highway 17 on New Year's Eve 2005. read more ...

Some states have overcome opposition to pass restrictions. Joe Simitian, a state senator in California, managed to get his hands-free legislation, an effort he began in 2001, passed in 2006. read more ...

May 2009

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian is inviting constituents in the 11th State Senate District to participate in the Senate’s first ever live streaming town hall from the State Capitol. “E-Upd@te With State Senator Joe Simitian” will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13th. All topics will be open for discussion during the one hour event.
read more ...

April 2009

Sacramento – Winners in State Senator Simitian’s 2009 “There Oughta Be A Law” contest traveled to Sacramento this week to testify in the State Senate – with good results. Advocates for all three bills persuaded Senate Committee members that each of their bills should become state law. Each of the bills now moves onto the next steps of the legislative process. read more ...

March 2009

Sacramento -- After reviewing 331 proposals from residents around the state, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today the three winners of this year’s “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. Simitian’s annual contest invites Californians to submit suggestions for new legislation. read more ...

January 2009

The message is clear today: Put your cell phone down while driving.
Beginning today, text messaging while driving is against the law and carries with it a $20 to $50 fine. The new law, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, closes the technology loophole left after the hands-free cell phone law went into effect last year.
The new law is just one of the 834 bills signed into law in 2008 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. New federal, state and local laws that take effect Jan. 1, 2009 range from the naming of Devil’s Slide tunnel to the second consecutive year of minimum wage increases.
A few of those laws were ideas suggested to state Simitian through his annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest. Simitian passed 14 bills, including ones that regulate deceptive sweepstakes practices and expands the small business loan program. read more ...

December 2008

Palo Alto – As Californians usher in the New Year, they will find new protections for many including victims of sexual abuse, veterans and seniors. The protections will come from laws that State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) authored and will take effect on January 1, 2009. The following are among the 14 bills that Simitian received signatures on this fall from the Governor. read more ...

September 2008

AMID THE 900 BILLS before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is one that is sure to save lives. It's a ban on text messaging and e-mailing while driving, which he enthusiastically signed.
As of July 1, it became illegal to use hand-held cell phones while driving, thanks to the passage of a bill by state Sen. Joe Simitian. D-Palo Alto. read more ...

August 2008

The effort to discourage California motorists from using mobile devices in moving cars took another step forward Thursday when the state Senate passed a bill to outlaw adults from text messaging while driving.
This is the second of a one-two punch by Palo Alto Democratic Sen. Joe Simitian, the man behind a law that went into effect in July making it illegal to hold a cell phone to your ear while behind the wheel. read more ...

July 2008

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed SB 612 by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), giving victims of identity theft a better opportunity to obtain justice by allowing identity theft cases to be prosecuted in the county where the victim lives – which is not always the location of where the crime occurs.
“Protecting the personal information of every Californian is very important to me and I am committed to strong laws that safeguard every individual’s privacy and prevent identity theft. This common sense legislation will lead to more prosecutions of this terrible crime and anyone that commits or even thinks of committing identity theft should know that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. read more ...

California has passed a law that makes it easier to prosecute identity thieves.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 612 into law this week. It allows prosecutors to charge people with identity theft in the jurisdictions where the victims live. Without the bill, prosecutions could only take place where the crime occurred, which is usually in the perpetrators' towns or cities.
"That may make sense if it's in an old-fashioned property crime like a burglary, or even an auto theft," said Sen. Joe Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat who sponsored the bill. "If an identity thief in Los Angeles goes online and steals the identity of a half dozen people in San Jose, the crime [had] to be prosecuted in L.A. That makes no sense at all, and, of course, it makes prosecution altogether unlikely." read more ...

June 2008

The state lawmaker who wrote the hands-free cell phone law that goes into effect July 1 is going after people who text-message while driving.
State Senator Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, introduced SB 28 Thursday which would ban drivers from typing text messages and e-mails while driving. read more ...

May 2008

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that research conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) estimates 300-900 lives will be saved annually once California’s hands-free cell phone law goes into effect.
read more ...

A California researcher has entered the acrimonious debate over mobile phones by predicting that banning the use of hand-held phones by U.S. drivers could save thousands of lives each year.
In a study released Monday, Jed Kolko, a fellow at the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, estimated that 300 fewer people will die each year in traffic accidents as a result of a pending hand-held cell-phone ban for California drivers. More than 4,000 people die in traffic accidents in the state every year. read more ...

April 2008

Cruise ships sailing to and from California ports would be required to have a law enforcement officer known as an ocean ranger onboard to protect passengers, if a bill now before the state's legislature is enacted.
The California Ocean Ranger measure cleared its first hurdle last week when the state Senate's Public Safety Committee gave it unanimous approval, pushing the bill to the next step in the legislative process.
State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) introduced the measure, asserting that the cruise industry was not adequately protecting passengers from crime nor complying with environmental laws. read more ...

SACRAMENTO -- A woman who says she was raped on a cruise ship -- and says public safety is so lax nothing was done -- plans to testify today in support of a bill that would require the industry to pay for peace officers to travel aboard.
Sen. Joe Simitian's measure would attempt to improve public safety on cruise ships by developing a seamless network of "ocean rangers" through pacts with other states bordering the Pacific Ocean, and with Hawaii. read more ...

Sen. Joe Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat, realizes that it's not easy to persuade his colleagues to expand government's vulnerability to lawsuits. But Simitian has identified a serious deficiency in a well-established state law known as the Tort Claims Act, which requires someone who wants to file a lawsuit against a city, county or school district to initiate his or her claim within six months of cause of action.
This rule might make sense for timely reporting of a car accident or tree-removal dispute, but it's incongruous with the reality of sexual abuse of children. read more ...

March 2008

Claudiu Stoenescu, a database manager from San Ramon, never thought of himself as a wireless headset kind of guy. But his wife insisted he buy the wireless earpiece for his cell phone last month.
The reason: She wants him on the right side of the law when he makes future calls in the car.
Come July 1, drivers in California who make or receive phone calls other than emergencies will be required to have a hands-free way of talking. Motorists who don't can be pulled over and cited, $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent violations. read more ...

Children who are sexually abused by adults in public schools and in city recreation programs should have the same recourse under civil law as students who are molested at private schools and camps.
That's not the way it works now because of a quirk in state law that a bill sponsored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, would fix. It has its first hearing in the Legislature on Tuesday. read more ...

February 2008

Seeking to improve public safety on the high seas, a state senator introduced a bill Friday that would require cruise ships sailing from California ports to have a peace officer on board.
If the measure passes, California would have the most stringent state regulations on the $35.7-billion industry, which has come under congressional and public scrutiny after several high-profile cases of missing people, passengers overboard and sexual assault in recent years.
"We've got air marshals on planes with a couple hundred passengers, but we've got no one on board the cruise ships with 10 times the number of passengers," said state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), the bill's author. read more ...

January 2008

BERKELEY, CA -- There's a much more common threat to health and safety to think about tonight.
A new government study shows three million young people, between 12 and 25, are getting high from cough syrup. It contains a drug that young people are trying just as often as methamphetamine. read more ...

December 2007

With the return of rain to the Bay Area, drivers should remember to flip on their headlights whenever it's coming down hard enough to turn on their windshield wipers.
After all, it's the law. A subsection of the California Vehicle Code, amended in 2004, requires drivers to turn on their lights anytime their wipers are "in continuous use because of rain, mist, snow, fog or moisture." read more ...

October 2007

Sacramento – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he has signed SB 898, a bill by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to continue two voluntary tax check-off programs, the State Children’s Trust Fund for the Prevention of Child Abuse and the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Program read more ...

September 2007

Allan Quach says he talks on his cell phone while driving, but tries to chat only with parents or friends who urgently need to talk to him. But minors like him won't be able to do that much longer, at least not legally.
Come July 1, thousands of 16- and 17-year-olds in California will be prohibited from using cell phones, PDAs, laptops and pagers while driving, under a bill signed Thursday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. read more ...

Starting next July, California teenagers will have to hang up the phone before getting behind the wheel.
At Redwood City's Sequoia High School on Thursday, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill banning anyone under 18 years of age from using electronic devices while driving, including cell phones. read more ...

Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he will hold a bill signing ceremony in Redwood City to sign into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) SB 33, which will prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone, pager, text messaging device, or laptop while driving. The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2008. read more ...

August 2007

California has included a couple of sensible restrictions on young drivers to help keep their attention on the road. For example, a newly licensed driver is not allowed to transport passengers under the age of 20 unless accompanied by a parent, driving instructor or other adult age 25 or older. Also, drivers under 18 are not allowed to be on the road after 11 p.m.
On Thursday, the state Senate voted 23-14 to add another restriction on under-18 licensees: Under SB33, authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, it would be illegal for them to use any type of cell phone, pager or text-messaging device while driving. Violations would be an infraction - which would not count as a "point" against the driver's record - subject to fines of $20 for a first-time offense and $50 for each subsequent offense. read more ...

Citing a fistful of studies that show teenagers among the most distracted and dangerous of drivers, the state Assembly on Monday passed a bill that would prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cellphone, pager, text-messaging device or laptop while driving.
The bill passed by a 62-5 vote, with Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R-Cathedral City) noting that teenagers make up 6% of licensed drivers but 16% of auto accident fatalities. read more ...

A new law means texting and gabbing on the phone while driving could soon be a thing of the past for teen drivers starting next July.
The state Assembly passed state Sen. Joe Simitian’s proposal to ban the use of cell phones by teen drivers under 18 years old with a 62-5 vote yesterday. The bill, which passed the state Senate in April, now goes back to the Senate for a final vote on Assembly amendments, then on to the governor who has 30 days to sign or veto the bill. read more ...

The state Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill Monday that bans teenage drivers younger than 18 from using their cell phones - with a hands-free device or not - while they are behind the wheel.
SB 33, by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, makes it an infraction for those younger than 18 to use a cell phone, pager, text-messaging device or laptop while driving. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the State Assembly passed SB 33, his bill to prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone, pager, text-messaging device, or laptop while driving, on an initial vote of 62-5. The bill, which passed the State Senate in April, now goes to the State Senate for a final vote on Assembly amendments, then on to the Governor who has 30 days to sign or veto the bill. read more ...

Teenagers are marvels of multitasking, as parents who have seen their kids simultaneously download iTunes while doing quadratic equations, watching "Laguna Beach," talking on the phone, sending an instant message and microwaving a burrito know full well.
Driving, however, is one skill they haven't mastered. To help keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, state Sen. Joe Simitian is proposing to make it illegal for drivers under 18 to talk on a cell phone or send text messages while driving. It's an excellent idea. read more ...

July 2007

About one year from now, July 1, 2008, it will be illegal to talk on a hand-held cell phone and drive a car in California. The bill was sponsored by state Senator Joe Simitian of Palo Alto. And it's one of many legal responses to the hazard of distracted drivers on our nation's roads and highways. Studies show that talking on a cell phone, while you drive, is about as dangerous as driving drunk. And traffic safety officials in California say that most accidents result from drivers being distracted. Legislatures have passed laws against use of cell phones while driving. Text messaging while driving has also been the target of state prohibitions. read more ...

June 2007

Convinced that gripping a cell phone while driving would become illegal Sunday, a customer walked into Jacob Peykar’s wireless store to beat the deadline.

Peykar said Thursday that he tried to tell his persistent customer that the hands-free law was still a year away, but to no avail. The man spent $300 at the Woodland Hills shop to deck out his wife, kids and mother with blinking blue earpieces.

“He was so convinced, I almost believed him, too,” Peykar said.

But Peykar’s customer and lots of other Californians are wrong. The law will take effect July 1 — of 2008.

The bill that would ban teen drivers under age 18 from chatting on cell phones or text messaging is motoring ahead at the Capitol, with approval from key committees in both houses.

SB 33, co-authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, a Bay Area Democrat, and GOP Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, from Riverside County, aims to pry distractions from teen drivers’ hands so they can focus on the road.

Is the Legislature picking on teens?

Simitian said he tells them: “Look, you’re crashing at five times the rate of your 18-year-old friends. We’re not picking on anybody. We’re trying to save lives.”

May 2007

It’s time for California’s teen-aged drivers to put down their cell phones, pagers and PDAs, and pay attention to their driving.

Year after year, car crashes are the number one cause of death among teenagers. In fact, the fatality rate for drivers 16-19 years old is four times that of older drivers in the 25-69 year-old age range. Across the country, more than 6,000 teen-aged drivers a year are killed on our nation’s streets and highways.

Among the culprits: cell phones, pagers and PDAs. The young drivers who are using these devices while driving are putting not only themselves at risk, but all of us as well.

That’s why we authored Senate Bill 33, which prohibits new drivers under the age of 18 from driving while using a cell phone or pager, or while text messaging. For ease of administration, the new law would take effect on July 1st, 2008, when other drivers, 18 and older, will be required to drive “hands-free” if they’re using a cell phone.

April 2007

SACRAMENTO - California teenage drivers may have to put down their cell phones and other wireless devices while driving beginning next year if legislation proposed by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, becomes law. read more ...

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the State Senate passed SB 33, his bill to prohibit drivers under the age of 18 from using a cell phone while driving, on a bipartisan 21-14 vote. The bill will now be sent to the Assembly for a hearing in June or July. read more ...

December 2006

Sacramento – Effective January 1, 2007, a new state law will require drivers approaching a roadside emergency scene to move over one lane to create a safety buffer for emergency crews, or to slow down if they can’t move over safely. Drivers who disobey the law risk receiving a $50 ticket. The law, introduced as SB 1610 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), was signed by the Governor in September.
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September 2006

Sacramento – Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he has signed Senate Bill 1610, by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), a bill to require motorists to move over or slow down when approaching roadside emergency scenes along the highway. The new “Move Over, Slow Down” law takes effect January 1, 2007. read more ...

Governor Schwarzenegger announced today that he will hold a bill signing ceremony in Oakland to sign into law State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) SB 1613, which will require California drivers who choose to use a cell phone while driving to use a hands-free device. The bill, which will go into effect on July 1, 2008, allows exceptions for drivers calling law enforcement or public safety agencies, as well as emergency services personnel driving authorized vehicles.
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May 2006

Sacramento – State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that SB 1613, his bill to require the use of hands-free cell phone devices while driving, passed the State Senate on Thursday on a 21-14 vote. The bill now moves to the State Assembly.
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May 2005

Sacramento - State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) today announced that his bill to require motorists to move over or slow down when approaching tow trucks or other emergency crews along the highway has been approved by the State Senate. It will be heard next in the Assembly. read more ...

September 2004

Palo Alto– Assemblyman Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) kicked off his fourth annual “There Oughta Be A Law” contest today, following the news that Governor Schwarzenegger signed one of this year’s “There Oughta Be A Law” bills. read more ...

March 2004

Palo Alto – A frightening and dangerous way for teens to get high has caught the attention of State Assemblyman Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Known by names such as ‘robotripping’ or ‘tussing,’ this growing trend for kids is gaining popularity for those looking for an inexpensive and easy method to abuse drugs.
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January 2004

Palo Alto – The issue of hands-free cell phones is back on the Legislative Agenda. Assemblymember Joe Simitian will introduce a new version of his cell phone bill tomorrow afternoon at the State Assembly. The legislation requires drivers to use hands-free technology while talking on phones in their cars. read more ...